Cotton-picking machine.



E. H. SGHOFIELD, DECD. R. H. SGHOPIRLD. ADMINISTRATOR.

COTTON PIGKING MACHINE,

APPLICATION FILED APR.6.1911.

1,180,847., l Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

E. H. SGHPIELD, DECD.

3.1i. soHoPIBLD, ADMINISTRATOR.

COTTON PIGKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. e', 1911.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915*.

2 SHEETS*SHEBT 2.

entrain era-frits rarnnr EUGENE H. SCHOFELD, 0F ATLANTA, GEORGA; RAY H. SCHOFIELD ADLVHNISTE OFSAID EUGENE H. SCHOFIELD, DECEASED. i l

CGTTON-PICKING MCHNE.

rastrear.

T0 all wir-0m it .may concern:

Be it lrnown that I, EUGENE H. Sonorrnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in thecounty of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Picking Machines, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to improvements in cotton picking machines and has for one of its objects the provision of an improved machine of this class adapted to traverse the eld of cotton without injury to the plants and remove the bolls of cotton efficiently and quickly without injuring Vthe seed; a, further object being the provision of an improved machine of this class having means whereby dust and foreign matter may be automatically separated from the cotton previous to storing or depositing cotton in sacks or other receptacles.

A further object is to provide an improved form of picking nozzle.

A further object is the provision of an' improved machine of this class which will be of simple, durable and cheap construction with the parts compactly arranged and in" which the picking nozzles may be. readily manipulated.

To theV attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects, as will appear, the invention consists substantially in the features of novelty hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings exemplifying the invention, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of an improved machine of this class constructed in .A

accordance with the principles of this invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sec-y tional view of a portion of the conduit and separator. Fig. Sis a detail sectional view on line SWS, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail viewof the joint between the flexible pipes to which the nozzles are connected, and the conduit. Fig. 5 is\a. detail top plan view of the manifold to which a plurality of nozzles are connected. F ig. 6 is a detail view partly in elevation and partly in sectionof one of the picking nozzles. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view on line 77, Fig. 1. Y

Referring more particularlyv to the drawings and in the present exemplification of the invention, the numeral 10v designates Specification of Letters Patent.

'mounted upon a lerably arranged to operate suction fan. The shaft pf this fan prefer- Patentcd lli/liar. Q, igi.

Application filed April 6, 1911. Serial No. 613,255.

generally the body of the vehicle upon which the mechanism is supported and is preferably in the form of a wagon having its bottom 11 constructed of smooth sheet material'such as metal which passes under the axles, with its ends curved upwardly as at 12 so that the bottom of the vehicle will pass overthe cotton row without injury.

The wheels 13 (see Fig. 7) may be of any desired diameter and in order that they may present a smooth surface to the cotton row on each side as the vehicle passes along, thereby obviating all danger of the wheels causing damage to the plant, they are pron vided with shields 14, constructed of sheet material preferably metal, and these shields are secured to an annular member 15 adapted to surround the periphery of the wheels 13. rlhe annular member 15 is provided with an inwardly projecting portion 16 and cooperating with this portion 16 is an annular member 17, between which member and the portion 16 the tire 18 of the wheel is adapted to be clamped by means of any diameter of the wheels may be increased to any desired size thereby causing a greater clearness under the vehicle to suit the con-V ]cliions in the different parts of the cottonv e t. .The vehicle may be propelled in any desired'or suitable manner but is preferably of. the motor type having the motorm or engine diagrammatically illustrated as at 20 and this motor is preferably located under the seat 21 of the vehicle. Power is imparted from the motor 20 to the wheels of the vehicle in any desired or suitable manner, not necessary to illustrate. y

Supported by the vehicle and preferably base or standard 22 is a. fan casing 23 in which is located a fan 24 prefas an exhaust or ably projects beyond the casing and a drivlng belt 25 passes over a pulley secured to the shaft and also over another pulley secured to the operating shaft 2G of the motor 20 so that motion will be imparted to the fan 2a from the motor 20. i

Leading to the fan casing 23 is aconduit- 27, one extremity of which terminates in a separator 28 which latter may be supported in any suitable manner, preferably by means of' braces 29, 30. The forward'end of the conduit 27 terminates in a manifold 3l hav- Ving a plurality of independe tubular portions 32 and this manifold may be supported in any desired or suitable manner, preferably by means of a support 33 which latter is removably or detaehably secured preferably to the dash board 34 of the vehicle by means of any suitable fastening devices 35.

The separator proper 28 may be of any desired configuration but is preferably rectangular in shape,as shown more clearly in Fig. 3, the sides 36 ofv which are provided with diagonally disposed grooves or recesses 37 opening inwardly. s-The top he separator is provided with anM opening 33,y

through which a frame designated generally by the reference numeral 39 is adapted to be inserted. The sides 40of the frame 39 enter the grooves or recesses 37 so that they will stand flush with the inner faces of the sides 36 of the separator. Supported by this frame are a plurality of flexible members 41 preferably in the form of Wires arranged parallel with each other and'extend diago- 4 far enough apart to leave a sufficient space for the passage of the air currents. The lower extremity of the screen thus formed preferably projects below the bottom of the separator chamber 23 and 1s supported 1n any desired or suitable manner, preferably by means of a support 43. The separator chamber 28 is provided adjacent the lower end of the screen thus formed with an aperture or opening 44 through the bottom thereof and a casing 45 is supported 1n any suitable manner preferably by the lowery face of the separator chamber adjacent thi's opening 44 and has communication with the interior of the separator chamber in advance of the screen or the frame 39, so that the cotton will be conducted from the separator chamber 28 into the casing 45. rl`he casing 45 is provided with the discharge outlet 46 which may be of any desired. length and may be disposed at any angle, but prefer# ably so as to be inclined downwardly. Pivotally supported at the forward end of .this discharge outlet 4G is fa spout having sides 48. `When this spout 47 is in the position shown in F ig. 2, the cotton entering the casing 4.5 will be discharged through the outlet idees-a7 let 4 6 when there is no receptacle or bag to receive the cotton, and during the brief in'- fterval of time necessary for changing the bags or receptacles, the spout 47` is adapted to be turned upon its ypivot 49 into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 so as to close the outlet 46 and in order to hold the spout in a closed position, any suitable fasf l #l tenmg devices may be provided such ias eatphes 50,.which are adapted to engage over. 5projections 51 on the spout.

E Arranged 'within the casing 45p-is 'a rotatablemember designated generally by,l the reference numeral 52 and is preferably Yin the folm of a drum,.the periphery of which is provided with outwardly opening recesses for the reception olf blades or wingsr 53. These blades or Wings may be constructed of any desired or suitable material but are preferably of some stiff butflexihle material such as `leather or the like" andare of such a length as to form practically air-tight connections with the wallof the casing 45 so that as the member 52 and the'blades or wings 53 slowly revolve, the seed cotton will' be discharged from the casing'45 through the spout 47. This member 52 and the blades 53 may be revolved either forwardly or baclrwardly but it is preferable to rotate the same in a forward direction so that the cotton will be discharged toward the drivers seat 2l., thereby bnabling the driver to attend to the filling of the receptacles without necessitating the stopping of the-ma chinel or of the driver leaving his seat.-

@bviously if bags are employedto receive the cotton Iany convenient bag holder. (not necessary to illustrate) may be provided.

The member 52 and the blades 53 may be rotated in any desired or suitable manner, but preferably from the shaft 26 of the motor 20. ln order to transmit motion from 'this shaft, there is provided a countershdlf't 54 which is provided with a pulley 55 and an endless belt passes over this pulley 55 and also over a' pulley 57 on the shaft 26. The shaft 54 is provided with a worm gear 53 which meshes with a gear 59 on a pulley 60 and an endless belt 61 passes over this pulley 60 and a pulley 62 which is secured to the axle of `thefmember52.

rlhe cotton picker nozzles designated generally by the reference numeral 63 are connected to a flexible tubular member 64, preferably by means of a ball and socket connec-- tion designated generally bythe reference numeral 65, whereby universal movement of the nozzle with respect to the tubular member 64 may be effected and a p0rtion-66 of the nozzle is offset so as to readilyadapt member with flexible blades adapted t@ 'ngage the membersl and move longitudinally in Contact therewith to wipe material lodged against the bottom end of said members from Contact therewith. g

6. In a cotton picking machine, the combination with a separator chamber having an inlet, an air outlet, and a cotton 'dischargeA opening, of a screenl comprising flexible 4parallel members disposed diagonally across .the separator chamber from a point adjacent the inlet to the opposite side of the cotton discharge opening, means for tighteningthe separate Wires, a housing substantially circular in cross section in connection with the separatorl chamber adjacent the cotton discharge opening and having a cotton discharge outlet opposite the discharge opening of the separating chamber, a rotatable hub member mounted in the housing, flexible blades radially disposed n' the hub .f

member, adapted to engage the circul r edges of the housing andthe lower extrem -I ties of the wires in the separator chamber whereby material lodged against the,lowe1` ends of the wires may be wiped therefrom i 

